December 3

he prophets were friends of the Father who had initiated them in his mysteries. To them he entrusted enigmas, allusions to his beloved. He veiled Moses that the world might recognize that it belongs to the nature of prophecy to be veiled. The whole Old Testament presents itself to us veiled, like Moses who represented prophecy. Behind that veil, spread out on the books of the prophets, there is Christ, majestic judge, seated on his glorious throne.

Our Lord raised that veil when he explained the mysteries to the whole world. By his coming, the Son of God has shown the face of Moses that was veiled until then, and explained words that had been unintelligible. The new covenant has come to shed light on the old covenant. Now the world can comprehend those words that are no longer covered. The Lord, our Sun, has risen over the world and has enlightened every creature. Mysteries, enigmas, have finally been explained. The veil that was lying on the books has been removed and the world contemplates the Son of God no longer hidden.

From John E. Rotelle, O.S.A., Tradition Day by Day: Readings from Church Writers. Augustinian Press. Villanova, PA, 1994.

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